Be a unique star

My wise old grandmother always said, “If you don’t get up early, you won’t see the sun rise.” She was always up before sunrise. I wasn’t far behind her. Here is this morning’s sunrise through the dirty window of my home office in La Mesa CA:

With that out of the way….

A few more quips from my wise old grandmother:

“If you’re not sleeping with someone, you don’t know what they are thinking.”

“Ten percent of the people will love you because that’s the kind of people they are. Ten percent of the people will hate you because that’s the kind of people they are. Eighty percent of the people will love you or hate you based on your actions and words. So be nice.”

“Children aren’t born with hatred in their hearts. Mom and dad teach them that, usually through religion.”

I believe she was right on all counts.

I have been a member of a home inspector trade association for 13 years. There are about 10,000 members. I led a marketing seminar at its national convention in 2007, which is when a very significant member of the association found out I was gay. He wasn’t happy, telling me that he always thought gays should be killed. I brushed it off , thinking that if he got to know a gay person, he would change his mind. Apparently that has not worked.

I have had significant interaction with that person over the past nine years. A couple of days ago I was on the association’s message board and all sorts of Trump-approved hate was spewing. It’s allowed on the message board under the guise of free speech. He was participating and left a comment stating that maybe now that Trump was president, gays, illegal immigrants, and blacks would be killed. “Can’t go wrong with that.”

That definitely caused me to rethink my association, and I have decided to move on. However, that also means that my latest venture, House Key News, is being put on the back burner because I believe my main target audience all are Trump supporters. I’m not going to intentionally associate with those kind of people, especially now that they apparently have approve to spew their hatred in public.

My fallback is Photographic Art by Russel Ray Photos. I have let it slip over the past year, but a recent sale a few days ago has encouraged me to make it numero uno.

House Key News had a main target audience of about 20,000 people—home inspectors. Photographic Art has a main target audience of about 3,000,000 people—Realtors, loan agents, title agents, and escrow agents. They can use Photographic Art as unique close-of-escrow gifts instead of the standard $50 gas or restaurant card, a plant, a bottle of wine or champagne, etc.

Photographic Art also can be used for birth gifts, birthday gifts, graduation gifts, marriage gifts, divorce gifts, new business gifts, anniversary gifts, just because gifts, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Many of my relationships have changed due to the election as well. Sorry about that. I just have to say that I disagree a little with your grandmother. Even when you sleep with someone, you don’t always know what they are thinking. at least I don’t. Good luck with your photos. Have you thought of Making money selling g stock photos? I’m attending a seminar tomorrow on that, and I’d think you’d have plenty of stock to upload.

Beautiful sunrise! Wise grandmother (though I agree with the post above — sleeping with somebody probably isn’t that much of a window into their mind or soul, unless they talk a lot in their sleep).

Best of luck with the rest. Hopefully, all Trump supporters aren’t like that. And hopefully all home inspectors aren’t Trump supporters. But, I agree, that some of the loud, bad eggs feel like his victory gives them a right to spew some nasty stuff.

I agree with your wise old grandmother, Russell. Unfortunately, the 10% in the ascendant now are not the kind of people who love by default, or wait to meet you before they decide to hate. There’s no reasoning with them because truth is whatever suits them. We really are living in the post truth era. 😦

Saddens me how many steps backward the US has taken with this election. (But we’re not immune to it in Canada either.) Nobody should be victims of hate, and for it to experience a resurgence is sickening. I strongly encourage everyone to stand up against the bullies and call them out on their hate-filled BS whenever possible – particularly at meetings and public forums. Trump-approved or not, there is no place for this.

Hi Russell,
I am just sick about the election. I’ve gone from denial to depression, and am horrified at the damage he has done even before he’s gotten into office. I’m so sorry you’ve had such an unpleasant experience–it’s terrifying. It was good to hear your wise old grandmother’s pearls of wisdom again.
Wishing you all the best,
Naomi